19
The personal a The direct object is the noun or pronoun that receives the action of the verb. In the following sentences, the direct objects are underlined. Mike hits the ball. George calls Mary.

20
The personal a In Spanish, when the direct object is a person or a pet, it is preceded by the preposition "a." This word has no English translation. Jorge conoce a Mar í a. Jorge knows Mar í a.

21
The personal a From the perspective of English, the personal "a" seems to be an extra word, but in Spanish it is not. The personal "a" is not used when the direct object is not a person. Conozco Espa ñ a. I am familiar with Spain. -- Spain is not a person